Renault Trucks Defense is developing a parallel hybrid thermal/electric propulsion demonstrator under an upstream study contract placed by the French Direction Generale de l'Armement (DGA).
A request for information (RFI) was issued by the DGA late in 2013 and work is expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2014. After initial company trials, the DGA will then put it through its paces for 12-18 months.
The system is being integrated into one of a batch of 10 pre-production Vehicule de l'Avant Blinde (VAB) Mk III 6x6 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) being built by Renault Trucks Defense.
The company's solution, called the Integrated-Starter Alternator Motor (I-SAM) parallel hybrid system, was originally developed for the civil market. The VAB architecture will see I-SAM installed between the Renault diesel and automated transmission, which is located at the front left side of the hull, but unusually to the rear of the driver's position.
According to Francois Deloumeau, Advanced Engineering Manager at Renault Trucks Defense, the two key elements of the DGA contract are to analyse the value of electric propulsion in land vehicles compared to conventional drive systems; and to de-risk hybrid thermal/electric propulsion systems for military applications.
Installing the hybrid thermal/electric propulsion system in an armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) with a gross vehicle weight range of 16-25 tonnes offers the user a number of significant operational advantages. These include providing the vehicle with a "boost capability" of between 30 and 50% depending on the engine. In the case of the demonstrator this will be over 100 hp. It also enables the vehicle to operate in silent mode for a short period of time, which could be useful for 'creeping' the last few kilometres of a mission.
Renault Trucks Defense claims that its parallel hybrid thermal/electric system is more reliable than series hybrid layouts, as there are fewer components. Having fewer components also saves weight and reduces fuel consumption on rough terrain by between 20 and 30%.
According to Renault Trucks Defense, the solution groups the high voltage components inside an armoured powerplant compartment, rather than using hub-mounted motors, which are potentially more easily damaged.
Reliability is further enhanced by the use of widely distributed high-power commercial off-the-shelf components.
The installation cost is stated to be 'low' and would typically add about 15% to the initial acquisition cost.
According to Renault Trucks Defense, potential applications for the hybrid/thermal electric propulsion system include two French Army AFV programmes, the Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance et de Combat (EBRC) and the Véhicule Blindé MultiRôle (VBMR). The EBRC is the replacement for the Nexter System AMX-10RC 6x6 and Panhard Defense Sagaie 6x6 armoured cars. A total of 248 vehicles are required and this will be in a 6x6 configuration.
The VBMR project is to acquire a replacement for the 4x4 VAB. Some 2,080 VBMR are required, with most expected to be 6x6 vehicles, but there will also be a 4x4 version.
The first VBMR is expected to be delivered in 2018 and the first EBRC in 2020.http://www.janes.com/
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